TECHNOLOGY Sony Xperia Z: Their best tablet yet

Despite weighing in at just 495 grams and only 6.9mm thick, the tablet is dust and water proof. And Sony has managed to squeeze in a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor coupled with an Adreno 320 graphics processor and 2GB of RAM. The 1920 x 1200 TFT display uses Mobile Bravia Engine 2 technology to enhance the picture clarity and richness.

The premium look of the tablet is tarnished by the rubberised back and the hard plastic edges. The only metal element on the tablet is the start button.

The 10.1-inch full high-definition tablet runs on an older version Jelly Bean, but Sony expects to update it with the latest version of Android at a later stage. Sony has customized the software and the top bar contains Google search, the voice command shortcut and the apps launcher button.

At the bottom, there is a small apps quick launcher, which includes a pre-installed calculator, notepad, timer, recorder and browser. Users can add more apps if needed. There is also a remote control.

The remote control app uses an infrared emitter to control televisions, home theater systems and DVD players. It works with any make - as long as it supports the Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Bluetooth or WiFi - and takes only a few minutes to set up. The contents on the tablet can be mirrored on a television, which Sony calls “throwing”.